When an order is urgent, it is tempting to split it: line 1 to the cheapest supplier, line 2 to the fastest, line 3 to whoever has stock. On paper, every line looks optimised.
In practice, the vessel now waits for the slowest of several shipments. Each one has its own freight minimum, its own documents and its own customs clearance. If one supplier is late, the job cannot start anyway, because the overhaul needs all the parts at once.
A better approach for urgent orders
- Group parts by job, not by line item
- Choose one coordinating supplier per job who can source from several makers
- Ask for lead time and origin on every line, then decide
- Consolidate before shipment so everything arrives together
The cheapest line price is not the cheapest job. The cheapest job is the one that is finished on time.